criminal coercion
Coercion intended to restrict another’s freedom of action by: (1) threatening to commit a criminal act against that person; (2) threatening to accuse that person of having committed a criminal act; (3) threatening to expose a secret that either would subject the victim to hatred, contempt, or ridicule or would impair the victim’s credit or goodwill; or (4) taking or withholding official action or causing an official to take or withhold action. [Cases: Extortion and Threats 1, 25.1. C.J.S. Threats and Unlawful Communications §§ 2–20.]
